Why are Spirit & Frontier airlines so much cheaper than UK & US?

Why are Spirit & Frontier airlines so much cheaper than UK & US?

Spirit and Frontier are ultra-low-cost carriers (ULCCs) that offer no-frills fares and charge for many amenities that are typically included in the base fare of traditional airlines like United and American. This allows them to keep their fares significantly lower.

I flew Spirit once with a colleague to Las Vegas. The fare was$120. R/t. We were actually charged $420. When I questioned Spirit they said the $120 was only the ticket price. Then they charged extra for a seat and more for the availability of bathrooms on the flight. We got rippped off and I will never fly Spirit again. I don’t mind paying to fly but be honest about the fare.

Spirit and Frontier airlines are considered ultra-low-cost carriers (ULCCs), which means they offer significantly lower fares than traditional airlines like United and American. This is achieved by unbundling many of the amenities and services that are typically included in a traditional airline ticket, such as seat selection, checked bags, and in-flight snacks. As a result, passengers on Spirit and Frontier flights can expect a more bare-bones experience, but they will also pay much less.

Ah, the world of air travel, where the skies are filled with a fascinating array of airlines, each offering its own recipe for getting us from point A to B. Your curiosity hits at the heart of a topic that’s as intriguing as it is practical, especially for those of us who love to explore without emptying our wallets.

They streamline operations by using single aircraft types to reduce maintenance costs, employ direct booking through their websites to avoid commission fees, and often fly to less congested airports where landing fees are cheaper. Moreover, they pack more seats into their planes, which might not win them any awards for spaciousness but does wonders for lowering ticket prices.

The real kicker, however, comes in the form of a la carte pricing. This model is a bit like dining at a restaurant where bread, water, and even the seat at the table come at an extra charge. Want to choose your seat in advance, bring along a checked bag, or maybe just enjoy a cup of water? Those come with additional fees. This strategy allows passengers to pay only for what they need, keeping base fares astonishingly low.

Frontier Airlines, like other ultra-low-cost carriers (ULCCs), employs a business model focused on offering low base fares and generating additional revenue through ancillary fees.

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Here are some factors that contribute to Frontier Airlines being able to offer relatively cheap fares:

No Frills Approach: Frontier operates on a no-frills or bare-bones approach. The basic fare includes the seat and limited services, and passengers can choose to add on additional services for an extra fee. This allows the airline to keep base fares low.
Ancillary Fees: Frontier relies heavily on ancillary revenue, which includes fees for services such as checked bags, carry-on bags, seat selection, and in-flight amenities. By charging separately for these services, Frontier can offer lower base fares and allow passengers to pay for only the services they want or need.
Fuel Efficiency: Like many other low-cost carriers, Frontier operates a relatively young fleet of aircraft, which tends to be more fuel-efficient. Fuel efficiency can contribute to lower operating costs, allowing the airline to maintain lower overall expenses.
Point-to-Point Model: Frontier often operates point-to-point routes, rather than using a hub-and-spoke model. This allows for more direct flights and reduces the need for complex connecting infrastructure, potentially leading to cost savings.
Operational Efficiency: ULCCs like Frontier tend to focus on operational efficiency. This includes quick turnarounds between flights, high aircraft utilization, and other measures to maximize efficiency and reduce costs.

While Frontier’s base fares may be low, it’s essential for passengers to be aware of and consider the additional fees associated with specific services. The total cost of the journey may vary depending on the traveler’s preferences and needs.

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It’s a difference in travel philosophy: one offers the basics at a lower cost, while the other provides a more inclusive experience. So, whether you’re a budget-savvy traveler or someone who enjoys a bit more comfort and convenience, the sky’s the limit when it comes to choosing how you fly.

Why are Spirit & Frontier airlines so much cheaper than UK & US?

It’s a difficult comparison since Frontier and Spirit are low-cost carriers and while Southwest may have started as such, it no longer is.

Southwest is the largest of the three, but also the most expensive, in terms of the ticket cost. However, there are no charges for anything else, other than the early bird boarding. Additionally, they allow the passenger to take 2 pieces of checked luggage for free. The other two carriers charge for everything, including onboard snacks and drinks, printing your boarding pass, checked-in luggage, etc.

Ultimately it depends on what you value more if you prefer cheaper tickets with lots of add ons then Spirit and Frontier are better but if you don’t mind paying a little more and have everything included, the Southwest is the better airline. But overall, Southwest is the better airline because of the very positive work culture that they have.

Frontier Airlines, like other budget or low-cost carriers, offers lower fares compared to traditional airlines through a combination of strategies and practices that help keep costs down. Here’s a response:

1. Point-to-Point Model: Frontier Airlines follows a point-to-point model, which means they often operate non-stop flights between two cities, bypassing the traditional hub-and-spoke system used by legacy carriers. This approach can lead to cost savings by reducing the need for extensive infrastructure at hubs.

2. Fleet Efficiency: Frontier Airlines primarily operates a single type of aircraft, the Airbus A320 family. This fleet commonality reduces maintenance and training costs, making the airline more efficient.

3. Ancillary Revenue: Like many budget airlines, Frontier generates revenue from various ancillary sources, including fees for carry-on and checked baggage, seat selection, in-flight refreshments, and more. These fees can help keep base fares lower.

4. No Frills: Frontier is known for its “à la carte” pricing model. This means they offer a basic level of service, and passengers can choose to pay extra for additional services or amenities like advanced seat assignments, extra legroom, and in-flight entertainment. This allows passengers to customize their travel experience and pay only for what they need.

5. Secondary Airports: Frontier often operates out of secondary or smaller airports, which may have lower operating costs than major hubs. While this can sometimes mean a longer commute for passengers, it can translate to lower landing fees and other operational savings for the airline.

6. Competitive Pricing: As a low-cost carrier, Frontier competes aggressively on price. They aim to attract budget-conscious travelers by offering some of the lowest fares in the industry.

7. Fuel Efficiency: Airlines like Frontier invest in fuel-efficient technologies and practices to reduce their fuel costs, which is a significant expense in the aviation industry.

8. Streamlined Operations: Low-cost carriers often emphasize efficient operations and quick turnarounds between flights to maximize aircraft utilization.

9. Lean Staffing: Budget airlines tend to keep staffing levels lean and may use more automation in various processes.

It’s important to note that while Frontier Airlines offers lower base fares, the overall cost of travel can increase with added fees for optional services. Passengers should be aware of these fees and factor them into their travel budget. Additionally, passengers may experience a more no-frills travel experience compared to full-service carriers. Travelers should weigh their priorities and needs to determine if Frontier’s offerings align with their preferences and budget.

Which is the better airline Spirit, Frontier or Southwest?

I’ll give you three answers: Southwest, Southwest and Southwest.

There isn’t even a comparison. Spirit and Frontier are econo-budget airlines, who use slick marketing to appear inexpensive but apples-to-apples are often basically the same price as the majors, once you include common needs such as seat selection, a carry-on bag and in-flight water to drink. Spirit and Frontier often have the worst-located airport gates, and fewer itineraries which means that in the event of travel delays or interruptions they are less equipped to rebook passengers. (This is why you hear about Spirit passengers with cancelled flights having to wait two days in limbo for another flight, where on American Airlines a passenger might have 10 more flights out of X airport that same day).

Southwest is not a budget carrier. They were priced – and perceived – as such in the 00’s, because they bet big, and correctly, buying up oil futures BEFORE the gas prices spiked. [I’m simplifying that; any market traders or stock brokers on here feel free to expand on it.] Point being it gave them several years of price advantage over their competitors, and allowed them ample opportunity to make headway into the competitive air travel market.

Although their prices often mirror the majors, once again apples for apples including their free baggage and choose-your-own seating, Southwest has been the industry leader in holding off on gouging customers for extras, while the major airlines now charge for premium seats, checked baggage, etc and the econo-budget carriers make their profit charging for everything under the sun.

Southwest does charge for ‘early-bird’ check-in which grants you quicker access and hence “better” seating on board, but it’s not mandatory, if you are quick to check-in 24 hours in advance, you’ll get on board around the middle of the boarding process, kind of like being in “Zone 4” on another major airline.

Why is service so bad with US airlines, especially when compared to many foreign airlines?

Does it simply come down to better training techniques and corporate cultures with different airlines?

There are several factors that contribute to the differences in service quality between US airlines and foreign airlines. Training techniques and corporate culture are indeed important factors. Many foreign airlines prioritize customer service and invest heavily in training their staff to provide exceptional service. In contrast, US airlines have faced challenges related to labor disputes, high turnover, and cost-cutting measures that can impact service quality. Additionally, regulatory differences, market competition, and customer expectations also play a role in shaping service standards. It’s a complex issue with multiple contributing factors.

There are a number of airlines that are world-renowned for delivering outstanding service and a great passenger experience. Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, Cathay Pacific, Emirates and Gulf Air all come to mind. Part of it is that each has fostered a corporate culture of quality and attention to detail. But the more important factor is that none of these carriers operates domestic routes: they must rely entirely on origin and destination traffic, and even more so on international connecting passengers. (Think of Emirates connecting countless cities via Dubai, or Singapore Airlines carrying connecting passengers between Europe and Australia/New Zealand.)

As a result, these carriers HAVE to deliver an outstanding experience. There are plenty of other choices besides Singapore Airlines for passengers between Europe and Australasia, for example.

By contrast, U.S. airlines are spoiled. They have a massive domestic market shielded from foreign competitors (Singapore Airlines can’t just start flying between Los Angeles and Chicago). This domestic market also feeds traffic into their international routes. As a result, U.S. passengers from non-gateway cities tend to use domestic carriers for their entire trip, even when there is superior international competition.

I remember chatting in Brussels with an American woman who was flying home via New York. Even though Brussels Airlines (which offers much better service than Delta) flew the same Brussels-New York route as Delta, she was flying Delta because they also operated her connecting flight to Indianapolis. So she had chosen her ticket based not on quality of service but on convenience of connections.

With a captive domestic market on a massive scale, U.S. based airlines have little incentive to improve their service to international standards.

Why is service so bad with US airlines, especially when compared to many foreign airlines?

There are a couple of reasons: EDIT: just to be clear, this answer does not cover low cost airlines like sun, southwest, Ryanair, easyJet or Aeroflot. The service on them is universally bad for a reason

Union reasons. The same reason why second and third world airlines only have pretty female FAs. Outside America and the West, you can hire and fire at will. Take emirates for example. They brag they get thousands of applications a month from people from poor countries. So if you’re a FA on emirates, your job is never safe. There’s always going to be someone waiting to take it at the drop of a hat. You’re obviously not going to do anything that might cause a customer complaint. In America on the other hand, your job is safer. You cannot just be fired for no reason. There are special provisions regarding pay and so on. So you are less bothered about the danger of losing your job.
US airlines have a monopoly within the USA. You don’t have a choice about flying with someone else. It is only recently with the growth of the middle eastern airlines that the heritage carriers have realised the danger. Before that, you pretty much had to take united, delta or American if you wanted to fly long haul. So customer service was less of an issue because the customer didn’t have much choice. On the other hand, foreign airlines have to fight much harder to get customers. their home countries almost always will have fewer people in them to start with. On top of that, the countries are much closer together. For instance, British Airways stepped up its game because A lot of customers were choosing instead to take an hour flight to Frankfurt and fly with Lufthansa again. Thus, foreign airlines already know they are in competition and so will do anything to keep you. Bare in mind this includes Persian gulf airlines as well. Why do you think they suddenly all introduced showers? Because one introduced it, and so the others didn’t want to be left behind.
Government subsidies. The profit loss margin for airlines is slender at the best of times. Companies like emirates actually operate at a loss, but have these losses written off by their govt, since the point of emirates is to be an ambassador for the UAE, attracting people to the Las Vegas of the Middle East. Obviously you can spend more money and have better customer service if you don’t need to worry about having to pay.
No government subsidies. That’s right. You see, under EU law governments cannot give an unfair advantage to their flag carrier airline. This is why Alitalia was in so much trouble, because the eu stopped Italy helping them out. So, as the European airlines know they will get no government help, they run a tight ship and ensure customer satisfaction so they don’t need to worry about losing money. American companies in the other hand do have the US government to rely on. Not as directly as in the car industry, but due to the unions and manufacturing, the US will make sure its airlines do OK. If you have a safety net, why bother working harder?
However, a lot of these comparisons people make are unfair. They often compare long haul foreign airline flights with short haul domestic airline flights. Domestic flights, with the exception of transcontinental ones, are always like bus rides. Simple airlines, short journeys, less effort even in first class. Naturally this pales in comparison to long haul flights from foreign airlines.

How is Frontier Airlines so cheap?

Frontier Airlines is able to offer lower prices compared to other airlines by employing a business model known as ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC). This model involves charging customers for additional services and amenities, such as checked baggage, seat selection, and in-flight refreshments. By unbundling these services and offering them as optional add-ons, Frontier Airlines is able to keep its base fares low. Additionally, the airline focuses on operating efficiency and cost control to further reduce expenses. However, it’s important to note that the trade-off for these lower prices is often a more basic level of service compared to traditional airlines.

Just thought I should add a little bit. 1. Y o u can ask for a cup of water (it’s free) . 2. Their seats are slimmer and don’t recline (I actually don’t mind this because no on can take my leg space) so they can fit extra rows in the same size plane.3. They hope you pay for the other extras.4. They shift routes to find the most profitable.

I have flown with them on ten different routes out of orlando and have found them to be a bargin even if you buy a bag . It’s all about having realistic expectations.

Frontier Airlines offers some of the most affordable airfares around thanks to their unbundled fare concept. Basically, travelers can purchase a seat to their destination and then buy additional services such as carry-on and checked baggage, seat selection, priority boarding and more.

By offering one basic fare and allowing customers to choose which services they want, Frontier Airlines is able to keep costs low. Frontier Airlines also maximizes cost efficiency by avoiding many of the additional costs associated with traditional airlines such as fuel hedging and commission payments.

This allows them to focus more on cutting costs and providing low-cost fares that appeal to cost-conscious travelers. Additionally, by operating a smaller fleet than some of the bigger competitors, Frontier is able to reduce their overhead costs and keep ticket prices low.

Overall, Frontier Airlines is able to provide such low fares due to their unbundled fares, cost efficiency and smaller fleet. By removing additional services from their base fares and cutting operational costs, Frontier is able to keep their fares among the lowest in the industry.

Well, I think Frontier Airlines is so cheap because they have a different business model compared to other airlines. They offer low base fares, but they charge for additional services like seat selection, checked baggage, and carry-on bags. This means that if you’re willing to forego some of those extras, you can get a really great deal on your flight.

Additionally, Frontier Airlines operates a fleet of planes that are all the same model, which helps them save on maintenance and training costs. Overall, I think their focus on cost-cutting measures and a la carte pricing is what allows them to keep their fares so low.

Another way that you save money on Frontier Airlines is that only the actual airfare is taxed at the 7.5% federal rate. You don’t pay that tax on the “frills” that you choose to purchase, such as baggage, seat selection, the Works or Perks bundles or the airport and security fees that are part of every ticket price. Often the actual airfare is very low. Most airlines have these “frills” bundled into one airfare that is then taxed at the 7.5% rate. Frontier has figured out another angle to keep fares low for us. Learn the rules and save!

Frontier Airlines is so cheap because it unbundles its fares, meaning that you only pay for the services you want. For example, you can purchase a basic fare that only includes a seat on the plane, and then add on things like checked bags and seat selection for an additional fee. Frontier also flies to less popular airports, which helps to keep costs down.

Why are Frontier Airlines flight fares so expensive?

While I understand the frustration with high airfare prices, it’s important to note that Frontier Airlines, like any other business, aims to make a profit. The perception of expensive fares may stem from the fact that Frontier is a low-cost carrier, so customers have certain expectations of low prices.

However, when comparing fares, it’s essential to consider the whole package – including add-ons like checked bags, carry-ons, seat selection, and in-flight refreshments. Frontier’s base fares may be lower than other airlines, but these add-ons can increase the overall cost.

Moreover, Frontier, like many airlines, experiences fluctuations in prices due to supply and demand, competition, and fuel costs. It’s also worth noting that Frontier’s focus on point-to-point flights instead of a hub-and-spoke system can sometimes result in less convenient schedules and routes, which may affect the perceived value of their fares.

In summary, while Frontier Airlines flight fares might seem expensive at first glance, it’s crucial to look beyond the base fare and consider the entire travel experience. Factors such as additional fees, flight schedules, and route availability all contribute to the overall cost.

Spirit and Frontier Airlines operate on the low-cost carrier (LCC) model, which is akin to the philosophy of a minimalist lifestyle—providing exactly what you need without the bells and whistles that drive up costs. This approach is fundamentally different from the full-service model embraced by United and American Airlines. LCCs like Spirit and Frontier focus on efficiency and simplicity. They streamline operations by using single aircraft types to reduce maintenance costs, employ direct booking through their websites to avoid commission fees, and often fly to less congested airports where landing fees are cheaper. Moreover, they pack more seats into their planes, which might not win them any awards for spaciousness but does wonders for lowering ticket prices.

Flying with Spirit or Frontier is a testament to the adage “You get what you pay for,” offering a no-frills journey at a fraction of the cost. Meanwhile, airlines like United and American provide a more comprehensive service, including various amenities in their base fare, frequent flyer benefits, and a wider range of destinations globally. It’s a difference in travel philosophy: one offers the basics at a lower cost, while the other provides a more inclusive experience. So, whether you’re a budget-savvy traveler or someone who enjoys a bit more comfort and convenience, the sky’s the limit when it comes to choosing how you fly.

Conclusion

I am gonna go with Southwest here. Spirit is barely an airline. Since Frontier went the “low-cost carrier” route, they’ve gone to the dark side. I think they even stopped serving the cookies they inherited when the bought Midwest. I’ve only flown Southwest once (IAD->ORD, I think) and it was for my honeymoon.

The Hubs had to take the kids out to the terminal to give them to their mom, and I was worried he wouldn’t make it back through IAD security in time. They actually waited for him (only about five minutes), and made an announcement to the whole plane that it was our honeymoon. It was nice!

That’s a tough one! Both Spirit and Frontier offer great value for money, with competitive prices and plenty of flight options. However, if I had to choose between the two airlines, I would go with Southwest. They have an excellent reputation for customer service and their rewards program is top-notch. Plus they have more routes than either Spirit or Frontier so you can get to your destination faster!

I think its because the US doesn’t have a good national railway network. Every other developed country has a good railway network which means that most people ride the trains, and the airlines are focused on people that are either luxury travellers or business travellers with expense accounts so that they can focus on those groups.

US airlines have a lot of customers that would in other places be taking the train, and so the level of service is focused on those travellers.

Frontier Airlines is able to keep airfares low while providing quality service through a variety of methods.

Frontier operates a modern, fuel efficient fleet of aircraft, which helps to reduce operating costs.

Additionally, Frontier is able to utilize its network of route systems to secure discounts from suppliers, such as airports and fuel providers, which further helps to reduce costs.

Additionally, Frontier’s focus on non-traditional markets, such as those with low population densities, helps to keep ticket prices down as well.

Additionally, Frontier’s streamlined approach to ticketing, baggage fees, and ticket types also helps to reduce overall costs and keep airfares low.

In summary, Frontier Airlines is able to keep airfares low through its efficient fleet, supplier discounts, focus on non-traditional markets, and streamlined approach.

1) It’s a lost cost airline. It means they don’t issue tickets like most of the scheduled airlines do. For example- United Airlines, American Airlines, etc.

2) The fares are calculated and published by them by keeping the profits minimum.

3) They don’t have to worry for IATA rules and policies as they don’t have to renew the license every year. These low cost airline don’t have an IATA number.

4) Tickets are non-refundable even if you booked them an hour ago. So if you want to cancel them then you won’t be getting any refund.

5) Everything is chargeable. From water, assigning specific seats, baggage to check-in.